Ceredigion Council accept reduced connectivity in Aberystwyth on T2/T1 Bangor/Carmarthen route.and do not support a T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth .
Date: 2018-04-13 16:54
From: L MCTIGHE <john.mct@btinternet.com>
To: Sian.Gwenllian@assembly.wales, Bethan.Sayed@assembly.wales, Dai.Lloyd@assembly.wales, Marie-Neige.Hadfield@ceredigion.gov.uk,
endaf.edwards@ceredigion.gov.uk, liz.savilleroberts.mp@parliament.uk,
Neil.McEvoy@assembly.wales, ellen.apgwynn@ceredigion.gov.uk, alun.williams@ceredigion.gov.uk, hywel.williams.mp@parliament.uk, Adam.Price@assembly.wales, jonathan.edwards.mp@parliament.uk,
maldwyn.lewis@ceredigion.gov.uk, Elin.Jones@assembly.wales, gareth.davies@ceredigion.gov.uk, steve.davies2@ceredigion.gov.uk, Leanne.Wood@assembly.wales, Simon.Thomas@assembly.wales, paul.james@ceredigion.gov.uk, foi@ceredigion.gov.uk, Rhun.apIorwerth@assembly.wales, ben.lake.mp@parliament.uk, ray.quant@ceredigion.gov.uk, mark.strong@ceredigion.gov.uk, Alun.Williams2@ceredigion.gov.uk, Bethan.Jenkins@assembly.wales
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Copies Ceredigion Council, Aberystwyth Council
CEREDIGION COUNCIL ACCEPT REDUCED CONNECTIVITY IN ABERYSTWYTH ON T2/T1 BANGOR TO CARMARTHEN ROUTE.AND DO NOT SUPPORT A TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE.
The Welsh Transport Minister, Ken Skates, announced yesterday , on
12/04/2018, £1.8m to prepare for his £600 million spend on the north
east Wales metro covering his own constituency of South Clwyd, Wrexham
(where his family lives), and Deeside. His officials are also busy
working on a new Trawscymru route between Chirk and Bangor via Wrexham which will cross his constituency of South Clwyd between Chirk and Wrexham.
Ken Skates concentrates his efforts around Wrexham/South Clwyd .
Meanwhile the “high level” review, which he commissioned in November
2017 to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth has not been carried out, because he knows the current T3 Wrexham to
Barmouth route crosses his own constituency of South Clwyd. On the
contrary the Trawscymru Wrexham to Aberystwyth route, ( which was recommended by the Bevan Foundation independent review of the Trawscymru network), was ignored for the second time by the Welsh Government and in January 2018 Ken Skates authorised improvements to the T3 Wrexham to Barmouth route for the benefit of his own AM constituents . The Welsh Government improvement to the T3 Wrexham to Barmouth route was achieved by increasing delays to the T2 Bangor to Aberystwyth service in Dolgellau to give better connections for the T3 service arriving from Wrexham via South Clwyd. The effect of the extra T2 delays in Dolgellau mean further losses to connectivity between North to South Trawscymru services in Aberystwyth, particularly on the T2/T1 Bangor to Carmarthen route.
MEANWHILE, CEREDIGION COUNCIL REFUSE TO COMPLAIN REGARDING REDUCED CONNECTIVITY ON THE T2/T1 BANGOR TO CARMARTHEN ROUTE, INTRODUCED IN JANUARY 2018, AND SAY THEY DO NOT WISH TO PURSUE THE OPTION OF A TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE, WHICH WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO
THE ECONOMY OF CEREDIGION AND ABERYSTWYTH. CEREDIGION TAXPAYERS ARE
BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY BY THE WELSH GOVERNMENT AND CEREDIGION COUNCIL SIT IDLY BY AND DO NOTHING TO COMBAT THIS SITUATION.
CEREDIGION COUNCIL OFFICIALS HAVE LIED REGARDING THE JANUARY 2018 INCREASED DELAYS TO THE T2 BANGOR TO ABERYSTWYTH SERVICE IN DOLGELLAU BY SAYING THEY WERE “”NOT PARTNERS TO THE T2 SERVICE CONTRACT”” AND SAYING THAT THE INCREASED DELAYS WERE “”NOT SUBJECT TO THEIR AGREEMENT””. THESE STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN REFUTED BY GWYNED COUNCIL, (WHO MANAGE THE T2 CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE WELSH GOVERNMENT). GWYNED COUNCIL SAY CEREDIGION COUNCIL ARE PARTNERS TO THE CONTRACT AND SAY CEREDIGION COUNCIL DID AGREE TO THE T2 CHANGES OF JANUARY 2018. GWYNED COUNCIL ALSO SAY THAT CEREDIGION COUNCIL DID NOT MAKE GWYNED COUNCIL AWARE OF LOSSES TO CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN NORTH TO SOUTH TRAWSCYMRU SERVICES IN ABERYSTWYTH, AS A RESULT OF THE T2 CHANGES OF JANUARY 2018 THE STATEMENTS BY CEREDIGION COUNCIL OFFICIALS ARE UNTRUE, AND THE COUNCIL SHOULD APOLOGISE AS THE UNTRUE statements would contravene the Council Code of conduct.
CEREDIGION COUNCIL OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO NOW REFUSED TO SAY WHO MADE THE DECISION TO NOT PURSUE THE OPTION OF A TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE AND REFUSE TO GIVE THE REASON THEY DECIDED TO NOT PURSUE THIS OPTION . IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC ARE MADE AWARE OF WHETHER THIS IMPORTANT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE IN COUNCIL OR OUTSIDE COUNCIL BY CEREDIGION COUNCIL OFFICIALS . THE CEREDIGION COUNCIL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER HAS ATTEMPTED TO AVOID ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THE TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE BY SAYING CEREDIGION COUNCIL HOLD NO INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER SAYS QUESTIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF THE TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE WILL BE TREATED AS A “”CUSTOMER ENQUIRY””
UNDER THE CUSTOMER CHARTER. IT IS CLEARLY INCORRECT THAT CEREDIGION
COUNCIL HOLD NO INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF THE TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE AS COUNCILLOR ALUN WILLIAMS WAS INVOLVED IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH KEN SKATES ON THE SUBJECT. IT IS ALSO CLEARLY INCORRECT THAT CEREDIGION COUNCIL TREAT QUESTIONS REGARDING COUNCIL POLICY AND ACTIONS REGARDING A TRAWSCYMRU WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE AS A “”CUSTOMER ENQUIRY””.
We look forward to an open and truthful response from Ceredigion Council
on both these issues. Ceredigion Council is predominantly dominated
by the Plaid Cymru Party .
It would also be useful if the Ceredigion AN (Elin Jones) and the Plaid Party itself would make their views known on the issue of connectivity of Trawscymru services through Aberystwyth, and the T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth . Despite repeated requests over 2 years Elin Jones has failed to issue a single word on the subject and a request to take up the issues at the Plaid Spring Conference has been ignored. It is time for Ceredigion politicians to fight for the services that the residents of Ceredigion deserve.
Yours etc
John McTighe
BBC NEWS CHANNEL 12/04/2018
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-43740123
DEESIDE RECEIVES £1.8M FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENTS
Some £1.8m will be spent improving public transport in Deeside as part of preparations for a north east Wales metro, Welsh ministers have said.
The money will help buy a site for a proposed park-and-ride service and improve the Deeside shuttle service and other local bus services.
Transport Secretary Ken Skates said it would mean better access to the Deeside Industrial Park and enterprise zone.
He was visiting the site of a proposed new Deeside Parkway railway station.
Deeside Parkway is one 12 proposals for new railway stations Welsh ministers selected for more detailed scrutiny last year.
On Thursday, the Welsh Government said £127,000 of the cash would allow the council to buy two minibuses for two transport schemes in rural communities.
Mr Skates said: “The £1.8m Welsh Government investment I am announcing today will be a boost to delivering important schemes which will improve access to and within Deeside Industrial Park and the wider Enterprise Zone, linking communities with jobs and services.
“They also offer a low carbon travel option enabling people to leave their own vehicle at home which will be of benefit to our environment.
“I’m very pleased we are working closely with Flintshire County Council, Network Rail and Transport for Wales in taking forward important work in Deeside which is a key part of the North East Wales metro [1] vision and also supports the local authority’s Deeside Plan.”
Ministers say the metro plan would make it easier to travel around the region using “high quality public transport” with an “integrated” system including rail, bus, cycling, walking and park and ride facilities.
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